Can-capping machine



Jan. 11 1927.

R. E. J. NoRDQuxsT CAN CAPPING MACHINE Filed August 9, 192s 7 sheets-sheet 1 may( VEN TOR.

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ATTORNEYS n. l Ja l 1927 R. E. J. NoRDQUlsT CAN CAPPING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed August 9, 1923 1N VENTO@ A TTORN Ys 1 1,614,041 R. E. .1. NoRDQUlsT CAN CAPPING MACHINE Jan. 1l ,11927.

45 Filed August 9,` 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet NVENTOR.

Jan. .171, 1927. 1,614,041

R. E. J. NoRDQulsT CAN CAPPING MACHINE Filed August 9, 1923 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYS Jan. l1 1927.

R. E. J. l NORDQUlST CAN CAPPING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet `INVENTOR- ATTORNEYJ Filed August 9, 1923 Jani 1l 1927' R. E. J. NoRDQulsT CAN CAPPING. MACHINE 7 Sheets-Shet 6 Filed August 9, 1923 Jan. 11,'1927. 1,614,041

R. E. J. NoRDQUisT CAN GAPPING MACHINE Filed August 9, 1923 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 1l, 1927.

UMTED STATES PATENT i OFFICE.

RONALD E. J. NORDQUIS'I, 0F MAPLEVJOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION F NEW JERSEY.

CANeCAIPING MACHINE.

Application filed August 9, 1923. serial No, 656,616.

. manner that no cover will be delivered when there is no can in position to be capped.

Another object is the provision, in a machine of this character, of means for suitably shaping the top ofthe can 'body just prior to the positioning of a cover thereon, so that said cover will fit .accurately and will suitably engage the can body after positioning.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of devices for arranging the cans and covers in axial alignment prior to assembly and for holding the same in such relationship during the assembling operation. f

It is also an object of thel invention to provide,in an apparatus of this character, an improved canl feeding mechanism in which the can engaging members are controlled in novel manner to permit backward reciprocation thereof without disturbing the position of the cans which have been advanced.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof. Y

Referring to the drawings,

Figure l is a front-to-bacl; sectional view of the organized apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of said machine,

showing a part only of the entrance guideway Fig. t is a sectional view, taken trans-v `tween guide rails Lll and 4t2, a supporting vplate 43 being arranged between these rails versely through the lower part of the frame and showing the driving mechanism for the can feeding devices;l

Fig/5 is aside elevation of the lower part of the` frame, showing the entrance conveyer and the drive therefor;

Fig. 6 a detail sectional and plan view taken. substantially on the line 6-6 in Fig. 5; f l

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional and plan view, showing the can clamping jaws and being taken substantially on the line 7--7 in Fig. l;

Fig. Sis asimilar view, taken substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1 and showing the cover supporting Ablades and operating mechanism therefor; s i

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section and front elevation, showing the assembling station and the no-can-no-cover device; y

Figs. l0, ll and l2 are detail views, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the differentl positions of the parts during the assembling operation;

Fig. 13 is a partial lsection taken substantially on the line v13--13 of Fig. 14 and showing certain details of the can feeding mechanism; and

Fig. lt is a section taken substantially on the line CL4-14 of Fig. 3.

The machiney shown on the drawings, for purposes of illustration, is supported in a main frame 2l, which r.has a widened base, or foot portion, 22 and is provided at the front with a forwardly extending shelf part 23 upon which is positioned a table 24 forming a support for the can bodies as they are moved to and beyond a capping station.

A drive shaft 25 is rotated from any suitable source of power by means of a pulley 26 and driving belt and has bearing in a gear housing 28 rigidly supported at the upper` end ofthe frame. Said shaft has secured'fth'ereto a spiral'pinion 29 meshing with a spiral gear 3l, which is .fast to a long vertical cam shaft 32. rlhe latter has bearings 33, 3-l'and 35 formed in the frame and a fourth bearing 36 integral with a cover 37 for the gear housing 28.

The can bodies are delivered to the table 24 by means of a delivering conveyer and associated mechanism, perhapsbest illustrated in Figs. 3, 5 and 6. Said conveyer comprises a chain 38 provided at spaced points with flights, or lugs, 39 and adapted to move beand to propel the same in suitably spaced lili) relationship 'to a feeding mechanism to` be hereinafter described. Said chain 38 takes over a driven sprocket 46 at one end of the conveyer length and over an idler sprocket (not shown) at the other end, which latter may be at any .suitable point of can supply. The sprocket 46 is fast upon a short shaft 47 mounted in a bracket 48 secured by a bolt and slot connection, indicated at 49, to the frame. Said shaft, at its inner end, carries a sprocket 51 adapted to be driven by a chain 52 which also takes over a sprocket 53 secured to a .short shaft 54 having bearings at 55 in the lower part of the frame and having thereon a bevel gear 56 meshing with a pinion 57 on thelower end ot ythe shaft 32. lt will lbe readily understood that by this mechanism the delivery conveyer is continuously driven when the machine is in operation and delivers Ithe can bodies successively onto the table 24.

Said table 24 is provided with front and rear guide rails 58 and 59, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 3, and the cans are positioned by said delivery conveyer against said front rail 58. A. lreciprocating feeding mechanism is employed to move said cans across the table, and, in this connection, attention is called particularly to Figs. 2, 3, 13 and 14. Said table is slotted, as indicated at 61, and the feeding mechanism is i'eciprocated in this slot in manner which will presently appear. Said mechanism comprises a bar 62 to which are pivotally secured a plurality of equally spaced dogs 63, which latter are of angular formation and have lower extensions 64 pivoted at 65 to a floating bar 66', which is disposed at the side of said dogs opposite the bar 62 and in quite close 7frictional engagement with the wall of the slot 61 in the table. Said bar 62 Vis reeiprocated by means of a rock lever 67 (Fig. 2) pivotally connected at its upper end with a connecting link 68, which has threaded lengagement with a pivoted block 69 carried on the lower end of a bracket 71 depending from the forward end of said bar 62. Said lever 67, at its lower end, is secured to a rock shaft 72, which also carries an inwardly extending lever 73 (F 4) provided with a cam following roller 74 engaging ina groove 7 5 of a cam 76 mounted on the shaft 32 just above the bearing 33.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 13 and 14, the operation of the above described feeding mechanism may be clearly understood. Upon forward reciprocation of the bar 62 (toward the right, viewing Fig'. 13), the dogs 63 will be slightly turned about their pivotal axes 77 (by which they are secured to the bar 62), due to the momentary lagging of the floating bar 66, which is held by frictional engagement with the wall of the slot 61. This causes the can engaging points 7 S- of said dogs to be projected up)- wardly above the surface of the table and into position to engage behind the can bodies. It will be noted that stop plates 79 are provided on the bar .62, just forward ot' the and the points 78 are depressed beneath the surface of the table, this benigalso accom" plished by 'the tloating bar 66 being momentarily held 'by friction and restricting the lower extensions of the dogs, which causes them to turn on the pivots 77 until their movement is limited by stops 81 'on the bar 66, whereuponthe latter is forced to move rearwardly in the slot 61. The 'can bodies aire thus fed onto a vlifting plunger or can body lifter 82, by which they are raised at the proper time to receive the covers which are fed into position thereabove in manner to be now described.

As shown, especially in Figs. 2 and 9, an inclined chute 83 is securedV in an ripper channel part 34 of a side bracket 35 vattached to the frame 21, the delivery end oic said chute being disposed above the longitudinal center of the can body guideway on the table 24. Covers 86 may be positioned in said chute in any desired manner and are successively fe'd into a pocket above a `can body on the plunger S2 by means oit an escapement feed mechanism co-operating with the chute and controlled by the can bodies as the` latter are moved toward said pli'inger. Said mechanism comprises a plate 87 pivoted at 38 onto vthe bracket 35 and having upwardly projecting points 89 and V91 adapted to enga-ge the lcovers in manner which will hereinafter appear. Said plate is adapted to be rocked by means of an` arni 92 (Fig. 9) secured to the pivot shaft 36 and pivotally connected to a connectiiig rod 93, which, at its lower end is secured to one arm 94 of a bell crank 95. The other arin 96 of said bell crank is provided with an inwardly extending foot portion 97y normally disposed in the pathway of the cans and adapted to swingloutwardly under the iiifluence of the latter. The front guide rail 58 is cut away, as shown at 93, and an upstanding bracket 99 is "secured to the table at this point, forming a bearing for a shaft 101 upon which the bell crank 95 is mounted. Upon outward movement of the foot portion 97 of said bell crank when pressed v'out by an advancing can about to receive a cover, the plate 87 is rocked about its airis and the cover engaging point 89 depressed, releasing the forward cover 66, which has been held by engagement of said point with the insidel wall thereof at the rear. VSaid cover is thus permittedv to drop into the pocket hereinbefore referred to (as seen in I original position by reason ofthe weight and balance of said bell cranli and associated parts. rl'Che cover engaged by the point 91 is thus allowed to slide down so that the rear wall thereof is in contact with the point 89. lil/when another can body strikes the bell crank foot portion 93, the operation just described is repeated, and it will be manifest that, in` this manner, the feeding of the covers is so controlled that no cover will be E delivered when no can body is fed into position to receive it.

The pocket into which the covers are fed by the mechanism just described is formed by clamping jaws 102, which are illustrated in detail in Fig.'7, there being also pro vided twosupporting Vplates 103 extending through slots 104.in said jaws 102. Said jaws 102 and plates 103 are separately controlled so that they have a periodic in and out movement and it will be understood that, when a cover is deposited from the chute 83, the plates 103 are in the inner position and the jaws 102, at such time, are in separated relationship, the plates and jaws form- 7 ing a receptacle 'or pocket for the cover as it drops from the chute, whereby the cover is arrested in position to be centered relative to the can body. After a cover is positioned upon said plates 103, the jaws are moved inwardly, by means of cam mecha` nism comprising arms 105, secured to the rear ends of said jaws and carrying cam following' rollers 106 engaging the periphery of cams 108 mounted on the shaft 32, it being understood that there is a separate arm 105 and cam 108 for each of said jaws. Said arms are pivotally mounted upon a stud 109, which has bearings 111 and 112 in the frame (see Fig. 1). A spring 113 is provided between the arms 105 to canse the roll ers 106 to follow the cams 108.

By means of the construction just described, the jaws 102 are caused to move in'- wardly to clamp the cover which has been deposited upon the plates 103 (see Fig. 9) and thereafter said plates 103 are withdrawn, by `means shown in detail in Fig. 8. Each plate 103 is secured to an arm 114 pivcted on the stud 109 and carrying a cam yoke 115 straddling the shaft 32 and provided with a cam following roller 116 engaging in a groove 117 of a cam 118, these parts being duplicated for each of said plates. "When vthe plates are moved to the outer position, shown inl dotted lines in Fig.

8,' the' can bodyvislifted into position cansing the upper end thereof to enter said cover, this being accomplished by means to be now described. Y

The plunger 82 iscarried by a reciprocating shaft 119, slidably mounted in the shelf part 23 and a bearing` bracket 121 extended from the frame. Said shaft has a collar 122 mounted thereon at an intermediate point and said collaris engaged by a bifurcated portion 123 of an arm 124 mounted on a rock shaft 125 having bearings on the inside of the frame. Said shaft-125 is also provided with a rearwardly extending lever arm 126 carrying at its end a cam followingrroller y127 engaging in a groove 128 in a cam 129secuied to the shaft 32 above the cam 76. Theplunger 82vis slotted, as indicated at 131, to permit it to ymove upwardly about the feed bar 62 and its sociated parts, and it will be readily understood that the can body may be lifted by the mechanism ust described into the jaws 102, 103, which, it should be noted, are provided with,` tapered ythroat portions 132 adapted to' press the upper part of the body inwardly just priorto its being forced into thecover v y Said cover 86, at this time, is held yagainst, vertical movement by a head 133 carried at the lower end of a reciprocating shaft 134, which latter has bearings 135 and 136 in a bracket 137 and an arm 138 extended respectively from` the gear housing 28 and the housing cover 37.` A collar 139 is positioned upon saidshaft 134 between rigid collars 141 and 142, a yielding connection being provided by a spring 143 interposed between said collars' 139 and 141.` Secured to the collar 139 is a Vbifurcated lever arm 144 mounted upon a shaft'145 having bearings in the arm 138 and being .provided with a rearwardly extendinglever arm 146 carrying a camtfollowing roller 147 engaging in a groove 148 in acam 149 secured to the upper end of the shaft 32. The'head 133 isthus depressed at the proper time to engage the toprof the cover 86 and to hold the same firmly as the can body is forced through the A jaws 102 and into the flanges of said cover.

The positions of the parts during this as-v semblingoperationmaybe readily understood by referring to Figs. 10 to 12, inclusive. Figure 10 shows the body being lifted into the tapered throat 132 of said jaws 102, and Fig. 11 shows the position of thebody after the upper end thereof has been pressed inwardly and has ypartially enteredA the cover. Fig. 12 shows the body and .cover in completely assembled relationship with the jaws 102 moved outwardly to permit the withdrawal of the can byA downward movement of the plunger 82. After said plunger has reached its lowermost posit-ion, the can will be engaged by onevof thedogs 63 and moved across the table 24 to any suitable point of discharge. f

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be under- -stood from the foregoing description, and

it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention, or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

l. A can capping machine, having in combination at the assembling station, a can body lifter, a cover applying head, a plu rality of movable can cover supports, a plurality of movable can shaping jaws above said supports, and means for moving said supports and jaws inwardly and outwardly relative to the can body at different times, feeding devices for delivering can covers periodically between the outwardly moved jaws and on to the inwardly moved supports, and means whereby the operation of said feeding devices is caused by the passage of the can bodies to said lifter.

2. A can capping machine, comprising a vertically reciprocating can body support, means for periodically positioning can bodies thereon, retractable jaws and retractable plates beneath the tops of sai-d jaws for arranging a can cover in axial "alignment above a body 'on said support, and means for holding said cover lin position to receive an end of the can body upon upward reciprocationl ofthe support. l

3. A can capping machine, comprising a can vbody support, cover feeding means adapted to deposit a cover above and in axial alignment with a body on said support, retractable jaws and retractable plates below the tops of said jaws forming a pocket for the reception of the cover, and means for moving an aligned cover and body into -assembled relationship.

4i. A can capping machine, comprising a can body support, cover feeding means adapted to deposit a cover above land in axial alignment with a body on 'said support, retractable jaws and retractable plates below the tops of'said jaws forming a pocket for the reception of the cover, and means for moving an aligned cover and body into assembled relationship, said cover feeding means being operable by movement of a can to said support.

5. ,A 'can capping machine. comprising a can body support, cover feeding means adapted to deposit a cover above and in axial alignment with a body on said support, retractable jaws and retractable plates below the top'sfo'f said jaws forming a pocket for the reception of the cover, means for moving an aligned cover and body into assembled relationship, and a device controlling the feeding of the covers so that a coverl is deposited only when a body is in position to receive it.

6. A can capping machine, having in com-- bination at the assembling station, a can body lifter, a cover applying head, a plurality 'of movable can cover supports, a plurality of movable can shaping jaws above said supports, and means for moving said supports and jaws inwardly and outwardly relative to the can body at different times, and a chute for delivering can covers vperiodically between the outwardly moved jaws and on to the inwardly moved supports.

7., A can capping machine, comprising a vertically reciprocable can body support, Va horizontally swinging and reciprocable cover support disposed above said body support and adapted to be withdrawn from supporting position, means for engaging the sides of a cover on said cover support to hold the latter upon withdrawal ofsaid cov-er support and to permit a body to be projected into the mouth of the cover upon upward reciprocation of said body support.

8. A lcan capping machine, comprising a vertically reciprocable can body support. a horizontally swinging' and reciprocable cover support disposed above said body support and adapted to be withdrawn from supporting position, and means for engaging the sides of a cover on said cover support to hold t-he latter upon withdrawal of said cover support and to permit a body to be projected into the mouth of the cover upon upward reciprocation of said body support, said lastmentioned means being adapted to form the upper end of said body as the same is projected upwardly to cause it to lit accurately within said cover.

9. A can capping machine, comprising a vertically reciprocable can body support, and means disposed above said support for receiving and holding a cover in position to be assembled with a can body upon upward reciprocation of said support, said means comprising successively operable bottom supports and side clamping members form ing a pocket to receive a cover and adapted respectively to support a cover from .the bottom and to vengage the flanges thereof when the cover is on said bottoni supports, the/bottom supports being withdrawable upon engagement of the cover fiange by said clamping members. V

10. A can capping inaChine, comprising means for assembling a can body and cover, and means for feeding the bodies to an assembling station, said means comprising a horizontally reciprocable feed bar, pivoted can engaging members arranged thereon at spaced intervals and a yfloating friction bar also pivotally connected to said can engaging member and adapted to project and de- Eso press said members upon the forward and rearward reciprocation respectively of said A relative to the can body at difierent times, a

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chute for delivering can covers periodically between the outwardly moved jaws and on to the inwardly moved supports, and feed devices causing the successive and periodical vdelivery of can covers from the chute into the recess formed by said plates and jaws.

12. A can capping machine, having in combination at the assembling station, a can body lifter, a cover applying head, a plurality of movable can cover supports, a plurality of movable can shaping jaws above said supports, means for moving said supports and jaws inwardly and outwardly relative to the can body at fdierent times, a chute for delivering can covers periodically between vthe outwardly moved jaws and on to the inwardly moved supports, feed devices causing the successive and periodical delivery of can covers from 'the chute into the recess formed by said plates and jaws, and means whereby the operation of said feed devices is caused by the passage of the can bodies to said lifter.

18. A can capping machine having in combination a can body lifter, a chute having means for delivering can covers periodically above the can body, and inwardly and outwardly movable jaws and can cover supporting means below the tops of said jaws arranged to arrest the cover as it is delivered from the chute and to release the same to be applied to the can body and a capping head arranged above said lifter.

14. A can capping machine having in combination a can body lifter, a chute having means for delivering can covers periodically above the can body and inwardly and outwardly swinging jaws and pivoted and swinging can cover supporting means below the tops of said jaws arranged to form a receptacle for the cover and to arrest the cover as it is delivered from the chute and to release the same to be applied to the can body and a capping head arranged above said lifter.

15. A can capping machine having in combination a can body lifter, a chute having means for delivering can covers periodically above the can body and inwardly and outwardly movable jaws and cancover supporting means arranged to arrest the cover as it is delivered from the chute and to release the same to be applied to the can body, and a capping head arranged above said lifter, and means whereby the said delivery of the covers from the chute is caused by the can bodies passing to said lifter.

16. A can capping machine, having in combination at the assembling station, a can body lifter, aV cover applying head, a plurality of movable can cover supports, rality of movable can shaping jaws, and means for moving said supports and jaws inwardly and outwardly relatively to the can body at different times.

17. A can capping machine, having in combination at the assembling station, a can body lifter, a cover applying head, a plurality of movable can cover supports, a plurality of movable can shaping jaws,- said supports and jaws vforming a pocket for the reception of the can covers, and means for moving said supports and jaws inwardly and outwardly relatively to the can body, at different times.4

18. A can capping machine, having in combination atthe assembling station a can body lifter, a cover applying head, a plurality of movable can cover supports, a plurality off movable can shaping jaws, means for moving said supports'and jaws inwardly and outwardly relatively to the can body, at diii'erent times, and means whereby delivery of the covers to said supports and jaws is caused by the can bodies passing to said lifter.

RONALD E. J. NORDQUIST.

a plu- Y 

